Imagine the best learning environments looks like in your mind. Now see why creating that environment is no easy task. The movie paints an excellent picture of various viewpoints within the education field. The stories, examples, interviews, movers, shakers, and statistics used in the documentary give us a clear understanding of why many people object to the federal Common Core standards. Please share your thoughts and actions you are taking to ensure a good education for yourself and others.

"Building the Machine introduces the public to the Common Core States Standards Initiative (CCSSI) and its effects on our children’s education. The documentary compiles interviews from leading educational experts, including members of the Common Core Validation Committee. Parents, officials, and the American public should be involved in this national decision regardless of their political persuasion.

The Common Core is the largest systemic reform of American public education in recent history. What started as a collaboration between the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers to reevaluate and nationalize America’s education standards has become one of the most controversial—and yet, unheard of—issues in the American public."

The foundations for Common Core trace back to the 1992 presidential election. Then president of the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE), Marc Tucker, wrote to then First Lady Hillary Clinton. Tucker envisioned a national, comprehensive system. He stated, “It needs to be a system driven by client needs (not agency regulations or the needs of the organization providing the services), guided by clear standards that define the stages of the system for the people who progress through it, and regulated on the basis of outcomes that providers produce for their clients, not inputs into the system.” As the Bill Clinton presidency progressed, education laws were passed such as Goals2000, the School-to-Work Act, and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. These laws gave more power to federal officials over education in the U.S. through standardization of the curriculum, testing, and data collection.

Hillary Clinton supported and promoted Common Core—an education initiative developed in 2009. Common Core was implemented during the Barack Obama administration and supported by Clinton and others. She maintained her support for the standards throughout the Obama presidency. During the first debate of the 2016 presidential election, then presidential candidate Hillary Clinton called Common Core “the most important non-family enterprise”.

Hillary Clinton was either unaware of the public’s dislike for Common Core or was attempting to politically advance the standards and testing methods in-spite of the fact. However, the lack of support for Common Core was not lost on the Democrat National Committee. Wikileaks, an international organization that publishes private and significant information, released an email from Eric Walker, Deputy Communications Director at the DNC. In the email Walker stated,

“A) Common Core is a political third rail that we should not be touching at all. Get rid of it.

B) Most people want local control of education so having Cruz and Trump saying it on a DNC video is counterproductive. Would get rid of any references to that.

C) We wanted Christie in there bc he’s a trump surrogate / could be trump VP / most anti-teacher guy out there. He’s yelled at pretty much everyone, there HAS to be video of him yelling at teachers and looking like a bully

D) Need Cruz saying dept of ed should be abolished. If you can’t find it – use this from AFP summit: “The department of Education – which should be abolished”

Jesse Bluma at Point Viven liberates taste in cookery, culture, and community, provides gourmet goods made with organic ingredients, inspired by the culinary worlds of California, Central, and South America, and engages in a community of customers and readers with lifestyle content, reviews, and expertise. Use and redistribution of original content allowed only with explicit permission of site owner and author.

Jesse Bluma at Point Viven liberates taste in cookery, culture, and community, provides gourmet goods made with organic ingredients, inspired by the culinary worlds of California, Central, and South America, and engages in a community of customers and readers with lifestyle content, reviews, and expertise. Use and redistribution of original content allowed only with explicit permission of site owner and author.

Our ideas, our creations, our spirit, and our great actions have always been key. I know what it’s like to create something, the hard work it takes to accomplish goals, and to stand with others. I know with my readers we share an elevated approach to food, information, and inspiration. Liberating food and taste is the mission. It is a holistic approach to living well and freeing our taste in food and much more. Pointe Viven reflects my spirit and its clients. It is a dynamic community of liberating food and taste.

Over the years it has been terrific to meet, spotlight, and feature creators, doers, and inspirational figures. I know no matter where I am, where I visit, and with whom I meet I will learn something and be re-energized by their endeavors. Each month join me in spotlighting the famous, the not so famous, the local celebrities, and those you believe have earned a thank you, a congratulations, and the recognition.

Each month a new theme will be chosen, so be thinking of those people you know exhibit the traits. Often the trait is something not so measurable, rather it is shown through the mundane, certain instances, and moments that surprise you. This is your opportunity to join me and take part in the campaign.

In April we celebrated masters of self-renewal. Those that perpetually learn, reform, and refocus. Those that self-assess and model the best in conscious living.

May: This month we are spotlighting courageous individuals. We are looking for those that exhibit a strong heart, inner strength, and zeal to stand with others. This month let us celebrate those individuals making great strides in liberating their lives and the lives of others through courage. Tell us the person you wish to spotlight and why.

Jesse Bluma at Point Viven liberates taste in cookery, culture, and community, provides gourmet goods made with organic ingredients, inspired by the culinary worlds of California, Central, and South America, and engages in a community of customers and readers with lifestyle content, reviews, and expertise. Use and redistribution of original content allowed only with explicit permission of site owner and author.

These are the cookies for your belly. A premium way to celebrate Mother’s Day, Easter, spring events, or any event for that matter. You are sure to please with these large size cookies topped with Tangerine and Green Apple Jelly Belly beans. Created with organic and quality ingredients.

Jesse Bluma at Point Viven liberates taste in cookery, culture, and community, provides gourmet goods made with organic ingredients, inspired by the culinary worlds of California, Central, and South America, and engages in a community of customers and readers with lifestyle content, reviews, and expertise. Use and redistribution of original content allowed only with explicit permission of site owner and author.

Jesse Bluma at Point Viven liberates taste in cookery, culture, and community, provides gourmet goods made with organic ingredients, inspired by the culinary worlds of California, Central, and South America, and engages in a community of customers and readers with lifestyle content, reviews, and expertise. Use and redistribution of original content allowed only with explicit permission of site owner and author.

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Jesse Bluma at PointeViven

Jesse Bluma at Point Viven liberates taste in cookery, culture, and community, provides gourmet goods made with organic ingredients, inspired by the culinary worlds of California, Central, and South America, and engages in a community of customers and readers with lifestyle content, reviews, and expertise. Use and redistribution of original content allowed only with explicit permission of site owner and author.